María

María S. is a member of the “Nueva Vida” (New Life) communal bank. She lives in the “La Virgen de Bronze” sector of the city of Cuenca. This city is known for the beauty of its architecture, its landscapes, and its food that captures the pallets of locals and guests. Its residents are warm and friendly.

María is 45 years old. She’s married and has two children, ages 16 and 13, who attend the local school. Her husband works as an electronics technician and also does auto electrical repairs from his own shop. They live in a rented home.

María works in the shop with her husband and sells all sorts of sound equipment for cars (radios, speakers). She’s been doing this for 12 years and works Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

This will be her fourth loan. She had been invited into the communal bank by her mother in law. She will use the money from this loan to buy merchandise (radios). Her goal is to buy a house of their own.